iantly. She told stories of the old French life. She related her
recent experiences of English society. She rallied Lord Dunseveric on
his grave dignity of manner. She drew laughter again and again from Una
and Maurice. But she addressed herself most to Neal. He was intoxicated
with her vivacity, the swift gleams of her wit, her delicate beauty, her
exquisite dress. He had never seen, never even imagined, the existence
of such a woman. Lord Dunseveric watched her and listened to her with
quiet amusement. It seemed to him that his sister-in-law meant not
only to rescue Una from an undesirable lover, but to attach a handsome,
gauche youth to herself. He understood that a woman like Estelle de
Tourneville might find the attentions of Neal Ward vastly diverting in
a place like Dunseveric, where nothing better in the way of a flirtation
was to be looked for.

The wine and fruit were placed on the table and the servants withdrew.
The Comtesse, with her wine-glass in her hand, stood up.

"It is not at all the fashion," she said, "for a lady to make a speech.
I shall shock you, my lord, but you will forgive me, for you know the
world. I shall shock my sweet Una, but she will forgive me because her
heart has no room in it for unkind thoughts of anyone. I shall shock
my nephew and the solemn Mr. Neal Ward, and they will not forgive me
because they are young and, therefore, have very strict ideas of how a
woman ought to behave herself. Nevertheless, I am going to make a speech
and propose a toast. I am Irish. Long ago my fathers lived in Ireland
and were _grands seigneurs_ as my good brother, Lord Dunseveric, is
to-day. They left Ireland for the sake of their faith and their king.
They went to France; but I am not, therefore, French. I am Irish. Now
that the French people have turned against us, have even wished to cut
off my head, which I think is much more ornamental on my shoulders than
it would be anywhere else--now I have returned to Ireland, I ask you all
to drink my toast with me. I propose--'Ireland.' I, who am loyal to the
old faith and the memory of the legitimate king, I will drink it. My
lord, who is of another faith and loyal to another king, will drink it
also. Mr. Neal, who has a third kind of faith, and is, I understand, not
loyal to any king, will, no doubt, drink it. My friends--'Ireland.'!"

She raised her glass to her lips and sipped the wine. All the four
listeners stood and raised their glasses.

"'Ireland